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Power
Words of power: Power is the capacity to participate in creative controversy. Power is the ability to make one's self heard, the capacity to cause others to take one's concern seriously... Power is also the capacity to listen. \ Power is the capacity to respond creatively to other, to the needs of others. In all these dimensions, power engenders conflict. (James Luther Adams, 1901-1994) PIIN, the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network PIIN's message says power is organized money and organized people. More. I shake my head at that definition. There is power in organized ideas as well. The Platform.For-Pgh can organize ideas. In turn the people can be better organized and united. As we are serious in our approach and outreach, the money will follow. James Luther Adams Power is the capacity to participate in creative controversy. Power is the ability to make one's self heard, the capacyt to cause others to take one's concern seriously. ... It is also the capacity to listen.It is the capacyt to respond creatively to others, to the needs of others. In all these dimensions, power engenders conflict. Polor opposites Power too is sure to go to the opponents who challenge those who have wasted their power. City council voted to become powerless themselves by voting to approve its own distressed status and enact Act 47. Those who shurk their power and those who run from their duties, while being in position of power, are sure to fumble their lead and allow others to assume more powerful positions. Split Power Our governmental structures are such that there is a division of power among executive, legislative and judicial branches. Many contend that folks should split their presidential and legislative votes along party lines, so as to avoid a power concentration that removes checks and balances on fiscal discipline. Pittsburgh has had an all-Democrat city council and a Democrat as Mayor for too long. Pittsburgh is with one party rule. Pittsburgh could elect a mayor who is not of the same party of the majority on City Council. The county elected for its first county executive a Republican, James Roddey, while also electing a majority of Democrats to the County Council. Structural issue more than a voting issue. Individual voters make individual decisions about their candidates. It is harder to 'split the vote' strategically on a national level when we are presented with only one or two Congressional candidates on our individual ballots. However, in a city-wide vote, the splitting of vote is more simple. On a micro and macro level, one of the best ways to send a message is to change your party registration. Do this frequently. Opt in and opt out of various election. If Pittsburgh had 5,000 people all choose to depart their political party, many would begin to worry how they might be able to act to get them to rejoin. Sure all political parties are hoping for better schools, health care, jobs, etc. Each has methods for achieving the greater goals. However, none on the national level have been able to implement any one systems for change because of of the great compromises. On the local level, the wide change has been able to take root. Mayor Tom Murphy had all on city council within his party. Mayor Sophie Masloff had a city council that was fully in her party. They have been able to take the city's vision and mold it. The outcome has been a bankrupt public treasury, more begging, a call to fix the overall tax structure. These guys were effective in killing the city because they had one-party rule. We got Lord & Taylor and Lazarus, without anyone standing up to say enough is enough. The URA and Mayor Tom Murphy were able to implement and promote a range of programs over the years. Mayor Murphy is an expert at TIFs. We have a new North Shore. We have a new Convention Center. We have a casino on the way. Pittsburgh's public money was spent on high risk investments with little hope of high returns, except for the corporations and consultants. We have yet to get serious about improved education and healthcare in the city. The one-party mentality does not promote responsible decision making. We need to make an ethical investment into a more robust political landscape where our return can be realized among a range of political interest groups. Our high costs of capital hindges upon one good-old-boys network full of cronies. 20004 Some are excited for 2005 when GWB takes over as President for a second term. The national trend went in a different direction. Rather than putting split power into the Congress and White House, it was concentrated. And, in turn, the Republicans who are satisfied in 2004 are also quick to say that certain programs are expected, rather than just a tireless debate. And, should the strategies implemented fail to work, then everyone can vote for Hillary in 2008.